Robert Jones and Matt Watroba perform Music that Matters at 45th Turtle Hill Folk Festival

A concert by the Detroit musicians Robert Jones and Matt Watroba covers the gamut of traditional American music – blues and spirituals, field hollers and work songs – and you’ll also hear some original compositions and maybe even some early rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, and country. They consider it all “roots” music, and it’s also music with a message of mutual respect, social change, and diversity.

Jones & Watroba will kick off Golden Link's 45th Annual Turtle Hill Folk Festival on Friday evening, September 9, followed by concerts by folk-rock harmony trio Gathering Time and fiddler, singer, and stepdancer April Verch with her band. On Saturday night, September 10, the bluegrass band Jim Gaudet & The Railroad Boys takes the stage, followed by a double set by singer/songwriter and virtuoso guitarist David Wilcox. Most of the featured performers take the stage again on Sunday, September 11 at 2 pm for the grand finale.

Watch this video for a preview of Robert Jones and Matt Watroba:

On Saturday and Sunday at the Festival, there will be daytime workshops, round-robins, and mini-concerts; Bob Zentz with his Ramblin’ Road Show and Homemade Hootenanny, which features an instrument petting zoo, sing-alongs, displays, and children’s activities; and a concert by Mara Levine with Gathering Time. Click here for the full schedule of daytime workshops.

The “New Voices” Emerging Artists Showcase, sponsored by Bernunzio Uptown Music, returns for its second year on Saturday at 4 pm with (in no particular order): Austin MacRae, Pepper andSassafras, and John Sonntag. There will be late-night fireside sing-alongs and many opportunities to sing & play music together. Rough camping is included with the ticket price; for a small fee, you can reserve a bed in the rustic, heated bunkhouses with attached baths. Click here for all the details.

Keep on singing – and see you at Turtle Hill!

– Janice Hanson

Janice Hanson is Concert Chair and Festival Artistic Director of the Golden Link Folk Singing Society, which was founded in 1971 to present, promote, and preserve folk music in the Rochester area.

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What a music! What a musicians! Not so many of them left who play purely American music – blues and spirituals. Have a look at American blues musicians of all time http://properessay.com/. They contributed to American culture, some simply turn the history with their music and rocked our world.